Will Alexander Drops Some Knowledge About What’s Happening in the Sport of Dogs. It’s Deep… It’s Humorous… It’s Provocative… It’s Will Unfiltered! Will Alexander has an in-depth conversation with Sam Houston McDonald. Click here to watch on Canine Chronicle TV!
Few situations at an AKC event are more unfortunate and frightening than dog aggression. It’s actually impressive that so few incidents occur. When they do, even judges, but especially event committees and owners, can be unprepared about what the rules say must happen. How prepared are you?
It’s widely claimed in the press and in the negative comments pertaining to pedigree dogs that, “dog shows have completely ruined our dog breeds.”
During the many years in my “real job” as an investigative reporter, I met and interviewed a lot of off-putting characters–unpleasant, disconcerting and often downright despicable individuals. Included in the latter category were thieves, killers, con artists preying on desperate people, corrupt, smarmy politicians, organized crime figures, hangers-on, a guy who, along with his creepy boss, was a true “prince of darkness” as he was a contract killer of show and race horses whose owners wanted to collect insurance money plus a duo who headed up a dog-fighting ring, had a cock-fighting venture as a side business, and one of the pair was a suspected mob hit man.
After two years at historic Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, the 147th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show had a new venue–the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. Breed judging, group competition, Best In Show, and the Juniors Finals were spread over two days, May 8 and 9. Once again, we asked the seven group judges and Beth Sweigart, the Best In Show judge, to talk about their assignments and placements.
Well Fashionistas, a whole world of camera-worthy Glam Cam daytime fashion dotted the landscape at Westminster 2023. After reporting on the evening judges and officials, who can resist a look at some of the daytime judges and the stewards who assisted them? For your visual pleasure, and insatiable desire to see more and more, here is a tidbit of the two days of the well-dressed folks who graced the breed rings with their well-chosen daytime attire.
Possibly, the only constructive consequence of Covid has been an overdue awareness of the need to track potentially dangerous viral strains as they emerge. In the past couple years we’ve learned more about antigenic mutation, viral replication and airborne transmission than anyone ever cared to know. Then again, dog people tend to be more aware of relevant health issues for obvious reasons. And as we all clearly recall, the earliest news about Covid-19 frequently featured unfounded speculation about if or how it might target our dogs. Didn’t happen. I’m not sure if the latest revelation qualifies as better or worse.
The name Arthur Roland pops up fairly often in a particular span of purebred history. However, his precise role in this deal is hard to pin down. Partly, that’s because a good portion of his multifaceted career as a writer and influencer was accomplished under a pen name. Ironically, that aspect of his vocation became his enduring identifier. It gets confusing, but that wide-ranging professional scope also gave Roland an incredibly insightful perspective on this sport. And like most dedicated people, he was very opinionated and outspoken.
This is the opening number of Cole Porter’s Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate, and it came naturally to mind as I looked back on the Westminster Kennel Club’s past, present, and still-to-be determined future.
The Curly-Coated Retriever is the tallest and thought to be the oldest of the recognized retriever breeds. Retrievers developed later than some other sporting breeds, becoming popular and useful when guns began to be used for hunting.
